Extended Stay
by therealMojogreyKawasaki
Summary: Firelord Zuko runs away for awhile and takes a trip to Gaoling in disguise to visit his 18-year-old friend, Lady Toph Bei Fong while in the middle of a matchmaking session. As a temporary solution to her problem, the blind bandit forces her royal guest into posing as... her fiancé. When and how will the young firelord get out of the situation? Will he even want to in the end?
1. What the Rain Brought In

**Extended Stay**

**Author: **therealMojogreyKawasaki

**Pairings (/"Ships"... whatever you wanna call it): **Toko (Toph & Zuko)

**Warnings: **Nah, none for now.

**AN**: Hey, guys. So, this is my second fic for A:tLA. I decided not to go on with my first one for many reasons, but I promise to take this one seriously. My musical inspirations for the different chapters in this fic are The Killers' _All These Things that I Have Done_; Billy Joel's _Always a Woman; _Fall Out Boy's _I'm Like a Lawyer With the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off_; Oasis' _Stop Crying Your Heart Out_, _Wonderwall _and _She's Electric_; Mumm-Ra's _She's Got You High_; Belle & Sebastian's _If She Wants Me_; and finally, Coldplay's _Yellow. _ I've always shipped Toko and until now, I'm still hoping that they did end up together or, at least, were together at some point. (I mean, I can't actually picture Zuko being Lin Bei Fong's dad.) Anyway, I'm planning to make this story short, but if I get positive reviews I might extend it.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender nor do I own any of the awesome characters in this story (except for the admiral and the matchmaker… who can't really be categorized as _awesome_). Avatar: the Last Airbender was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.

**Extended Stay**

**Chapter One: What the Rain Brought In**

"My name is Admiral Tsai Yeon," the man said with pride. "I hail from the city of Yuwon Xiao and I am the son of the late general Hsung Yeon." All she heard, though, was an endless stream of "blah's" which exited one ear as soon as it entered the other. This was all she'd been hearing for hours now. Her parents, on the other hand, were patient, courteous, and always had a very positive attitude in dealing with each one of these _suitors_ of hers.

She had just turned eighteen three months earlier and her parents deemed that it was about time for them to find someone capable of taking care of their _helpless, little, _precious gem for the rest of her life, knowing that they wouldn't be around forever. Doing so would help them hit two zebraparrots with one stone, they also figured. Marrying her off to a man from a wealthy, prominent family would mean a merger of chattels. Of course, as one might have already expected, the Blind Bandit would have rather died than agreed with her parents on this one. This was not her cup of dirt. But then, she had no choice.

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"My name is Lee. I told you, I'm one of Miss Bei Fong's friends!" the young firelord argued with the two guards outside the Bei Fong estate. "Go home, kid. It's getting late and it's raining iguanacats and sheepdogs. Don't dare march up to us tomorrow, blaming us if you get a fever," mocked one of them.

"Please," he begged. "Can't one of you just call her? I'm telling you, she'll recognize me right away! Just… Just give me one chance. I've traveled so far just to get here. Just to see her again." Zuko's voice bore a hint of hopelessness, but he was determined. He wouldn't give up, go away, come back some other time. He'd see her. That night… or he'd die trying.

"The Bei Fong's are busy. They have special, _honorable_ guests in the manor."

Zuko growled. He wanted so bad to tell them who he really was, but he could not, else the whole world would eventually find out that the firelord was not in fact sick in bed, but was instead roaming around disguised as a lowly wanderer in the middle of a foreign land for agni knows what reasons.

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The admiral ended his speech that seemed to have lasted a million years to the beautiful young, and not to mention, bored earthbender who was seated in front of him.

"What can you say to Admiral Yeon, Toph?" her mother asked and she did so, she secretly prayed to the spirits that her daughter would, for the first time, give a proper response, but to her and her husband's dismay, the spirits heard nothing.

"Well, Mr. Yap-a-lot," she began and could almost sense her parents' facial reactions.

"It's Admiral," he interjected.

"Whatever!" she quickly yelled. But just as she was about to spit out yet another ever so _Toph-like _remark, she felt the vibrations of a familiar heartbeat just a few meters away from where they were. The vibrations were faint, so she wasn't entirely sure if it was really who she thought it was, but nonetheless, it was enough to form a smirk on her face.

To the matchmaker's annoyance and to everyone else's shock, Toph immediately stood up from her seat, ran outside the room and into the miniature maze of halls inside the mansion. As she was running toward the main entrance, a servant spotted her and held up an umbrella, but she did not stop running. She went outside the house in the middle of a storm. Her hair looked terrible and her makeup sagged as the rain soaked her from top to toe and mud splattered across her mint green floor-length dress. She continued running until she heard a voice. Her smirk turned into a sincere yet confused smile for the voice she heard, though quite lower than what she could remember, was undeniably _his_.

She earthbent the ground beneath her and it forced the gates to open. The guards both outside and inside were baffled, but allowed her to carry on. The opening of the gates caught everyone's attention, especially Zuko's.

"Let him in," she yelled at the guards blocking the firebender's way. As the two moved to the sides, an unobstructed view of the stunning _woman_ standing before him met Zuko's eyes. A menagerie of thoughts ran through his head upon seeing the sight. But before he could process all these thoughts, she walked up to him and grabbed his hand. She pulled him away and the two walked back to the mansion.

He smiled as they slowly strolled in the rain. He could not speak. For awhile, it seemed to him as though he forgot how to. Just then, the earthbender spoke, "You couldn't have come at a more perfect time," she spoke as if talking to the rain. "It's been six years," he hesitantly replied, not knowing what else to say. It took awhile for her to reply, an amount of time that felt like dynasties to Zuko. "Just keep quiet," she finally said. They went on with their walk in silence.

As they entered the rather large room from which Toph came, the firelord felt very uneasy. Her parents, the matchmaker, and the men all looked their way and if looks could torture, he'd have already been chopped up into bite-size pieces by then. He wanted to speak out, but he remembered what Toph had told him earlier. In his mind, though, he was begging her to open her mouth already. Fortunately, or maybe _unfortunately,_ she did break the silence.

"Mom, Dad, everyone, I'd like you all to meet my fiancé, Lee!"

And so the game began.

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**[Guys, tell me what you think! :D Send me reviews. Please & thanks~]**


	2. The Feel of Things

**Extended Stay**

**Chapter Two: The Feel of Things**

**A/N: **Harrtharr, people! First of all, I'd like to thank all of you guys for your support and for all the positive reviews you've already given me on my first chapter. I tell 'ya, it means the world to me! So… here… as a way of saying thank you, I decided to rush the second chapter and upload it right away. Take note, I was really in a hurry as I was typing this, so expect some typographical errors. Anyway, this chapter might not really seem important at first. There isn't much character development… or plot development, _but_ **it's gonna be useful in the next few chapters**. I promise. Yesterday, I was mulling things over and **I've decided to** **extend the story!** There will be a really surprising plot twist a few chapters from now and I'm hoping it will bring more life into the story. Don't worry; I'm not going to make it implausible. I'll make it as realistic and logical as possible. I don't dues ex machina things. Anyway, this chapter was inspired by Belle and Sebastian's _If She Wants Me_. Naaah, I'm not expecting any one of you to know that song, but what the hell, here goes nothing…

**Chapter Two: The Feel of Things**

When Zuko heard that last word, he thought his heart dropped to the bottom of his stomach. But of course, on the outside he remained calm and showed nothing more than a slightly raised eyebrow as a reflex. He'd already been firelord for quite some time and ruling over a nation like his after a hundred-year war obviously meant having to go through the most peculiar ordeals and having to hear the most absurd things every once in a little while, but none of those were like what he'd just heard a few moments ago. He knew, without a doubt, that this would be an incredibly complicated situation to get out of. In a matter of just about a sixth of a minute he tried to come up with all sorts of things to say. Although sure was the last thing he felt he was at that moment, he had not a single idea what else to do. Yes, in short, the firebender panicked.

He tried thinking about what his friends, his uncle, even what his sister would say if faced with the sort of situation he was currently faced with. But then, he thought, "It's time to be _Lee_," He took a deep breath, ready to speak, but the earthbender went ahead of him. He was both exasperated and thankful at the same time.

"You heard me, didn't you? Why're you all so quiet?"

They waited a few more seconds. The silence pierced Zuko's ears. Growing impatient, she spoke again. "This is my _fiancé_. This man right here. See him?... Or are we all blind here?" She held his hand again, this time, intertwining their fingers. He felt his heart trying to break out of his ribcage, completely ignoring the jade-tiled floor that was slowly turning into a small puddle beneath their rain-drenched bodies.

"We're. Getting. Married," she clarified. "Wedding. Me, bride. Him, groom. Still don't get the-"

Before she could even finish, her father passed out. Who knew what he had running through his head, thought Zuko. "Well, you're not alone," he mentally commented while staring at the man on the floor. Nobody minded him, though. Not even his wife. They all knew he'd be fine. And besides, the situation at hand still had them all dumbstruck. The sound of thunder that echoed across the room snapped them back into reality.

"B-but… when? How?... Why?" Toph's mother uttered with clear difficulty.

"Mom," Toph began as she held the firelord's hand tighter and gave a faint, lady-like smile. "_He's_ the reason why I haven't been keen on any of these matchmaking sessions from the beginning. I wanted to tell you, but I knew you wouldn't believe me. I mean, see? Even with living proof before your eyes, you still find it hard to do so, but what's important… is that _he's here now_."

The manner in which she spoke surprised Zuko. He wasn't even entirely sure if it was Toph he was hearing. Her voice was calm, gentle, polite, and unassuming, civilized even. He was amazed and only then did he realize that her voice had changed, but that was not what most of his attention was drawn to. The way she said each word, every pause she made, and the rise and fall of her voice seemed like waves crashing on a shore at a regular, uninterrupted pace. It sounded immaculate. She could have been talking about pai sho, or wolfbats, or grass. It couldn't have mattered to him the least bit.

"Gentlemen," she faced them and slowly bowed. "I offer to you my sincere apologies for everything that I've said to each one of you. The weather, I'm sorry to say, greatly affects my emotions. I meant none of the words I uttered. I humbly thank you for all your efforts and for gracing our family with your presence." She ended her bow and was rather shocked to see the men returning the favor. Apparently, her little speech worked like an audible bouquet of flowers to them. Just as planned.

She bowed to the cranky old matchmaker, whose face-distorting frown appeared to be almost permanent. The party left and eventually, Lao regained consciousness.

"I know you have so much to ask us, but Lee has gone a long way. He's exhausted and, as you can see, we're both soaked. Both of us need a warm bath and he badly needs some sleep. So, goodnight, Mom, Dad."

Toph turned around and walked out. Zuko, who still hadn't said a word, bowed, bade the elder, speechless couple good night, and hurriedly followed the earthbender outside the room. Servants with towels met him at the door. Toph was leaning onto the wall in the hallway as he came out. The servants stepped a few strides back as she approached the firebender and whispered in his ear ever so casually yet gracefully.

"It had to be done. I'll come to your room at midnight. We'll talk."

Zuko gave a vague nod in response. He then realized that the last thing the servants would do was to leave them and so, in order to avoid suspicion, the firelord wrapped an arm around the earthbender's waist and, after a second or two, decided to let the other arm follow. It was the first time he hugged her, or so he thought. He had already forgotten that short but heartfelt although half-unserious one they had shared the last time they had seen each other. He then rested his chin on her shoulder. A part of him actually didn't care about the immense possibility of her murdering him for this afterwards. He actually missed the sightless beauty he was now, once again, holding. Very much, in all honesty. It had been six long years, after all.

The earthbender returned the solemn, heartwarming gesture, a response he did not expect. Her embrace was tighter than his, But no. He did not feel his bones cracking nor did he have any difficulty breathing. What he could feel, though, were her illegible feelings trying to translate themselves into a language they both could not comprehend. If he could melt away into nothingness, he thought, he would have already done so. They effortlessly trapped the universe into those few seconds, then pulled away and let go of the universe just as quickly. But they themselves couldn't understand. Nobody could. Nobody will.

Handing her towel back to one of the servants, Toph walked away into the dimly-lit distance. The servants led Zuko to his room and they walked behind her. He knew that the servants were his guides, but walking with her before them made made it seem though _she_ was. On one hallway, though, she turned left and he noticed that the servants were walking in a different direction. Although he didn't stop in his tracks, he wanted to turn around and follow her, which he knew was, like many things, impossible.

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Finally they reached his room. It was on the same house he entered. By then he had no idea where Toph's room was, considering the house's size and the fact that there were multiple houses in the maze-like estate. It could've been anywhere. His room was quite small compared to his bedchambers back in the palace, but was bigger than any room he'd had in the Earth Kingdom before. It had a wide, square-shaped bed, two long couches parallel to each other that had a table with the flying boar emblem on it, many cabinets, which teased his curiosity, a hand-woven carpet that covered the whole floor, and some unlit lamps on the wall. Though the room was fairly spacious, it was also undeniably simple. Everything was so _plain_. Nothing bore the slightest hint of any of the artistic design patterns that were showcased in all the other parts of the estate, or at least in all those that he'd already seen. Refugees in Ba Sing Se had more beautiful rooms. But as he entered, he understood exactly why. The room had an almost wall-to-wall window that had, in his opinion, the most beautiful view in the whole estate. The room was situated on a certain location from which the sky was visible. It was clearly built in such a way that the walls surrounding the area could not block the view of the heavens. It was simply breathtaking, but what made it even more incredible was the seemingly-infinite pond that reflected the sky. The waters were clear and fish could be seen darting from one side to another in graceful motion, forming ripples that looked like that of the sky. Staring at it long enough made it hard to tell the sky from the water. The whole room glowed in the mild light of the stars and the pale moon. By then the rain had already stopped. Before leaving, the servants wordlessly gestured toward one of the closets. Zuko understood that it contained clothes and towels ready for his use. He wondered who they belonged to, or maybe, _had once_ belonged to. It made sense that whoever had used to own the clothes, had once also used to own the whole room. Of course, he thought, whoever that person was, he or she was clearly very lucky.

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About an hour passed after he took a bath and suddenly, a knock on the door greeted him. The door slightly opened and he could see a lady in a loose night kimono leaning against the door, gently in order not to push it back. She looked at the wall in front of her as she spoke.

"Is it too late for a potential confrontation? I know you're upset."

"It's never too late for a talk, and no. I'm not."

"But an explanation is due. Don't worry, I have one," the blind bandit said as she entered the room and carefully closed the door. "But first, _you've_ got to tell me why you're here."

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**So… what do you think is the reason why Zuko came? Tell me all about it via review. Again, thanks for all the support, guys!**

**Oh, and by the way, here's what to expect in the next few chapters:  The talk, ZUKO'S BACKSTORY, a town festival (this is gonna be fun…), meet the parents, a conversation between Poppy and Zuko (it's gonna be touching because, well, you know, Zuko doesn't have a mom… anymore), and a kinda sorta big revelation. **


	3. The Atonement

**Extended Stay**

**Chapter 3: The Atonement**

**A/N:** Hey people! First, I'd like to tell you guys that I had fun reading your guesses. I must say, your ideas are better than mine. Although no one got the exact answer, one reader's answer was rather close to something sorta like what I actually had in mind. After reading your reviews, I sort of felt ashamed of my idea, but what the hell, I'mma still go with it since I've already thought of how to tie things together later on. I've come up with a new idea, though: send me suggestions! Go! Send as many as you can. I want to know what _you_ want to happen. I'll be picking out the ones I like and I'mma sort of merge them with the ideas I've thought of beforehand. Another thing is that I've noticed that the reviews you've been giving me are all rather positive. I want you guys to know that I appreciate constructive criticism (as long as it's delivered politely). Again, I thank you guys for all your support. Really, I won't get tired of saying that. It's only been two chapters and my stats are looking great. I hope things stay that way. You guys are my _gems _and as I write this story, I'm hoping it turns out as something that can brighten people's moods. Also, if you guys have any questions (regardless of what they're about… they could be about starfish or potatoes or… life advice, I don't know), always remember that I'm just a PM away. So… anyway, here's chapter three. I was inspired by Oasis' _Stop Crying Your Heart Out_, Tokio Hotel's _Monsoon, _and Weezer's _Perfect Situation._ (Hahaha, this song reminds me too much of Zuko… in every way.) I hope this chapter doesn't seem too dark and serious. Also, it may seem really _**shallow**_, but just remember that _everything is not always as what it seems._ Well, now here you go!

**Warning/s: **Language

**Extended Stay**

**Chapter 3: The Atonement**

For some time, he was speechless, although he had no idea why. For some unknown reason, he was hesitant to say what it was. Of course he had something to say. It was a crazy tale, sure, but he'd thought it through a million times already.

"Well, tell me, King fireflakes," she demanded in a bizarre yet beautiful way. "What sorta Armageddon had the capability of pushing you to knock on my door on a perfectly random rainy night after not even bothering to send me even just a one-lined letter in six whole Agni-damned years?" Oddly, the words didn't come with matching facial expressions or hand gestures. She just stood in front of him as she bluntly spoke.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out as he looked at the moon. "Things have been heavy these past few years. I know it sounds like a really ridiculous excuse, but you do understand the situation I'm in, right? I mean, once everyone left, I had to face things alone. Well, not exactly. Of course, Uncle was there. He's always been there. And there was Mai."

"_Was?_" the earthbender clarified, confused.

"Not anymore," he confirmed. "And to make the long story short, that's why I'm here."

"Whoa… Wh-whoa there, don't tell me you've come to Gaoling to ask me for help in finding you some new potential firelady girlfriend substitutes. I've got too many problems myself."

"No, it's not like that."

"Well, what is it?"

"I just…" the firelord began. "I just need some time away… from everything back at home. I might be sounding really selfish, right? Yes, I guess so, most probably, but I figured that if I didn't leave, I'd burn out. I'm the firelord and my duty is not only to my nation, but also to the whole world. It's the price I have to pay for my forefathers' wrongdoings, for _my_ wrongdoings, but I'm also just _human_ and-"

"Sure, no problem," she butted in. "Our home accepts overwhelmed royal runaways twenty-four-seven. Call it your _when-being-firelord-gets-all-bitchy-I'mma-just-head-over-there_ rest house. Way to be **user friendly**, Your Majesty."

"Look, I'm really sorry for not telling you. Its more complicated than you think," Zuko defended himself while trying to keep his voice's volume to a minimum. "I'll have you know that I'd have loved to stay with Aang to avoid all this fuss you're giving me now, or I could've sailed over to the Southern Water Tribe. Heck, I bet even the Kyoshi warriors would have actually been _happy_ to see me."

"Hey, who said that I-?"

"Trust me, if any of them weren't busy with their own post-war hitches, I wouldn't have gone through all that just to come all the way here. But then, the thing is, you're the only one I have!"

Silence filled the air for what wasn't the first time that evening. He wished he hadn't put it that way. He let his ever unstable emotions get ahead of his conscience and his mind again.

"So… that's it, huh?" she spoke. "I'm just your last resort. Okay, I get it. You know what? I think it's best if we both got some sleep. I don't want to keep you up. I mean, I'm just your final option after all. Might as well show you my deep gratitude for even coming to this shitty town. By the way, that whole fiancé thing, I'll break it off to my parents first thing tomorrow. Sweet dreams."

She left the room as quickly as she entered. No, she didn't slam the door not did she stomp her feet, but Zuko could feel her disappointment emanating all throughout the room. The moon filled the whole place with unnatural stillness- the same stillness that could've been associated with decaying corpses at the bottom of the ocean, or with monarchs being left past midnight by friends whom they've hurt. Either way, that stillness brought immense pain to whoever witnessed it. He threw himself on the bed, back first. He tried to sleep, but he couldn't. The moon felt like a dagger piercing his heart. It mirrored his faults and transgressions meticulously. He felt lost once again, trapped inside an inexplicable state, some sort of limbo, and all he could do was stare at the moon, unconsciously searching for hidden images in vain. This lasted for hours. He refused to take his eyes off of it and failed to even notice its progress down the sky. Finally, as it set and as the sun started to rise, he decided to leave the room, maybe get lost along the corridors, or find something magical like, say, a mysterious golden egg. He didn't know exactly, but he needed to something else to look at. As he opened his door, though, an unexpected sight greeted him.

"No."

"Yes."

"But... why? I thought you hated me?"

"I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you'd lost your way."

"Stop paraphrasing my uncle."

"Shut up. You're in no position to say that. Suffering from short-term memory loss, I see. Well, let me remind you, you've hurt me. A whole damn lot."

"Then why are you here? You waited out all night."

"Says who?"

"Appa."

The earthbender, who was sitting on the floor, slightly moved her foot. The next thing Zuko knew, three small rocks were headed his stomach's way.

"Ow. Hey, that's what it looks like!"

"You really think I'd stay up all night just to surprise you like a badass ninja? Please, you're not that important. It's called _timing_. Anyway, Ozai Junior, I'm here to make a negation.

The firelord was curious as to what the she was going to say next. He was sure that simple was the last thing it would be, but he had no choice. _All actions have corresponding consequences_, he thought. _Though not all might seem just._ With others, she'd turned into an angel. With him, she almost hadn't changed at all.

"Yeah?"

"I'll help you with Mai if you agree to go through the whole troublesome betrothal process with me."

Zuko refused to answer. He didn't want to speak at all. He'd been reminded of the cause of all this, the reason why he'd almost broken down if it weren't for Toph. It was all because Mai had left him. The saddest part of it was that it wasn't a fracture he could mend- no third party was involved (not exactly), no jealousy, no pride, no greed, no tiring of each other. It was just something that was always supposed to happen, and eventually, it did. How could a love so true and of so long have ended up in shattered pieces? It was something he still couldn't figure out, but he thought he already had. He was lost in many ways. He was broken and needed to be fixed.

"I'm not getting back with Mai. She's let me go," he ended up saying slowly and shamefully. "I've let her go… although I'm not so sure if that was something I really should've done. Yeah, it was, obviously. What am I thinking? But doing what's right isn't always much of a joyride, is it?"

The firebender sat beside her. The only time they'd done that in the past was during a break when they watched a play about themselves on Ember Island many years ago. He put his head on her shoulder as a gesture that screamed "_I'm-staring-at-the-air-in-front-of-me-can-you-please-tell-me-again-why-we-exist?"_

"Well, a short snippet won't do it for me. You gotta tell me everything, from the start."

"I'll try my best."

"Floor's yours hothead."

The firelord took a deep breath. "Where do you want me to begin exactly?" he asked as he looked at her, but Toph did not reply.

"Fine. Mai and I always wanted to be together… until the end, and since I'm firelord, she'd have to be firelady if we did get married. She was willing to make so many sacrifices for me. She'd already sacrificed so much, but she was ready to give everything up and go through hell and back. That's how much she loved me. The royal councilors subject her to the most preposterous processes that took most of her time and effort. They had her go to finishing school and kept her in the palace even till early in the morning for private training on royal etiquette and many other things that could have only been for show. They nearly drained the life out of her, but she never complained. She'd just smile whenever I asked her if anything was wrong. She never even told me about what they'd been putting her through. But then one day, she came up to me with tears in her eyes and told me that she'd already had enough. I had no idea what she was talking about. She said that she could've gone on with everything, but then what drew the line was the fact that the palace had been constantly putting her_ family_ down. After the war, her father lost his position in the government. It was the newly established government's way of compromising with me. All my father's associates were supposed to be thrown in jail or executed, but they new about me and Mai, so that was the least that they could do. Seeing a disgraceful man's daughter traipsing around with the firelord made their blood boil, but as long as Mai was with me, she always felt safe and assured, or so I thought. Pretty soon word spread across Capital City and people made them feel like outcasts in their own home, but of course, I was oblivious to all this. I was always too busy with work, whether in the fire nation or abroad. I'd traveled the world again; I even got to visit Aang and everyone else a few times because of that, but now that I look back at things, I've realized that I shut my eyes and ears on her. When she came up to me because of this, I froze. I found out that her father even attempted to hang himself just to put and end to their family's shame. Mai realized that the only way to appease the people who were after them was to stay away from me, and so she did. A few days after her first confession, she came up to me again. This time, I knew it was going to be the last time we'd see each other. She told me that she wasn't cut out for a life this and that by marrying her, controversies with regards to the Fire Nation would arise and it would only be another burden on my shoulders if the world had another reason not to give our country the trust it has slowly been regaining. Even as she ended things she still made it a point to show me how much I still mattered. She embraced me tighter than ever before. As she said goodbye she told me not to hold on or keep waiting because there was also someone waiting for her outside. Her words broke my heart, but then I had no right to stand in her way. It was only afterwards that I found out about the things she'd gone through. I finally confronted my chief minister and he spilled it out. I felt an unexplainable guilt that made it clearer to me now more than ever that I never deserved her. She was always too good for me. She'd save me a million times and a million times I betrayed her.

Pain took hold of me. I brought it with me wherever I went and it was evident in everything that I did. Eventually, Uncle noticed, so he confronted me. I poured my heart out to him like a child, but I was still confused, so I decided to run away and on that night as I was about to, he caught me, but instead of reprimanding me, he just assured me that he'd take care of things and strangely, he knew that it was _you_ I was going to run to. '_Go, she'll understand,'_ was what he said, but we both knew who '_she'_ was. Actually, I hadn't really made up my mind whether or not to see you. I knew you had a life of your own and it would be rude of me to just barge in like this after years of not even asking how you were or if you were still alive, but his affirmation was more than enough for me. So… here I am now, sitting here beside you at dawn… and you're probably asleep."

The earthbender's eyes were shut tight and her head rested on his shoulders. "Well, whad'ya know, she waited out for me after all." The firebender smiled and put his head on hers. As the sun rose higher, the two fell fast asleep. What he didn't know though, was that the blind bandit listened to everything he'd said, until the very last word.

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**Wow, this took me hours. Finished at exactly 12:46 AM. Spent the whole day procrastinating. I'm such a lazy ass. Oh well, keep 'em _REVIEWS_ coming. Please and thanks!**


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